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saltylane's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Like all the other books in the Witcher series, this one jumps back and forth between perspectives, and gives a lot of information that isn’t completely necessary or interesting. The writing style is descriptive but not necessarily excessively so. The story itself has a lot of twists and turns and mysteries. I’d say the ending was rather bittersweet. Also, there were a lot of things that didn’t really make too much sense for the characters that have developed over the past handful of books. There were also just a handful of times whenever an action was starting to peak, and then it just dropped down because there was some kind of intervention that just happened to happen at that moment.
I didn’t necessarily expect a happy ending for everyone… But at least an ending that actually had conclusions that really mattered or that made sense would’ve been nice.
Overall, I rather enjoyed the series, despite its many flaws. With the switching perspectives, it did get confusing as to what was going on and what character was doing what. It often went to characters that I wasn’t really sure why they were even included… Unless they were just trying to close up plot lines? I don’t know; they didn’t really matter. It didn’t really seem very important that So-and-So died in such a way or succeeded in XYZ. Sure, sometimes it was nice to see what older characters that we hadn’t seen in a while were doing… But overall it wasn’t really important to the plot what was going on in their lives.
The reader for this audiobook is very talented! He really knows how to manipulate his voice to the different characters and stick with it consistently. The voice acting was also very good with emphasized emotions relevant to the scenes.
I’m really interested in seeing how the series on Netflix adapts all of the storylines. Hopefully it’s a little bit less convoluted…
I didn’t necessarily expect a happy ending for everyone… But at least an ending that actually had conclusions that really mattered or that made sense would’ve been nice.
Overall, I rather enjoyed the series, despite its many flaws. With the switching perspectives, it did get confusing as to what was going on and what character was doing what. It often went to characters that I wasn’t really sure why they were even included… Unless they were just trying to close up plot lines? I don’t know; they didn’t really matter. It didn’t really seem very important that So-and-So died in such a way or succeeded in XYZ. Sure, sometimes it was nice to see what older characters that we hadn’t seen in a while were doing… But overall it wasn’t really important to the plot what was going on in their lives.
The reader for this audiobook is very talented! He really knows how to manipulate his voice to the different characters and stick with it consistently. The voice acting was also very good with emphasized emotions relevant to the scenes.
I’m really interested in seeing how the series on Netflix adapts all of the storylines. Hopefully it’s a little bit less convoluted…
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Xenophobia, Grief, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexism, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Classism
fiveredhens's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
favorite quotes:
‘Very well,’ sighed Regis. ‘Let it be. I’ll have to steer clear of looking glasses and dogs, watch out for sorcerers and telepaths … and if in spite of that they unmask me, I’m counting on you.’
‘You can,’ Geralt responded gravely. ‘I won’t abandon you in need. Comrade.’
The vampire smiled, and because they were alone, showed his full set of fangs. ‘Comrade?’
‘It’s my anthropomorphism talking. On we go, let’s get out of these caverns, comrade. Because all we’ll find here is rheumatism.’
‘I must ride,’ she said at last. The woman smiled, jingling melodiously.
How does it happen, thought Ciri, what can it be ascribed to, that in all worlds, places and times, in all languages and dialects that one word always sounds comprehensible? And always similar?
'Yes. I must ride to my mamma. My mamma is waiting for me.’
‘Good, Ciri. But more calmly. Without euphoria. And close to me.’
‘I’ll always be close to you.’
‘Don’t cut from the shoulder if you can from the elbow. Take heed.’
‘I am.’
The flash of a blade. Screams, blood. Death.
‘Good, Ciri.’
‘I want to see the sky.’
‘I love you very much.’
‘I love you too.’
‘Take heed. It’s getting slippery.’
Geralt glanced at Ciri. And almost howled with fury, seeing streaks shining white as silver in her ashen hair. He controlled himself. It wasn’t the time for anger.
‘Be careful,’ he said softly. ‘Stay close to me.’
‘I’m always going to be close to you.’
‘It’ll be hot down there.’
‘I know. But we’re together.’
‘We’re together.’
The executioner went closer, kneeled down before the condemned man in keeping with the ancient custom, and lowered his hooded head. ‘Forgive me, good fellow,’ he requested gravely.
‘Me?’ asked Dandelion in astonishment. ‘Forgive you?’
‘Uh-huh.’
‘Not a chance.’
‘Eh?’
‘I’ll never forgive you. Why should I? Have you heard him, the prankster! He’s about to cut my head off, and I’m supposed to forgive him? Are you mocking me or what? At a time like this?’
‘How can you, sir?’ asked the executioner, saddened. ‘For there’s a law … And a custom … The condemned man must forgive the executioner in advance. Good sir! Expunge my guilt, absolve my sin …’
‘No.’
‘No?’
‘No!’
‘I won’t behead him,’ the executioner declared gloomily, getting up from his knees. ‘He must forgive me, otherwise there’s nothing doing.’
‘Lord Viscount.’ The funereal clerk caught Dandelion by the elbow. ‘Don’t make things difficult. People have gathered, they’re waiting … Forgive him. He’s asking politely, isn’t he?’
‘I won’t forgive him, and that’s that!’
‘Very well,’ sighed Regis. ‘Let it be. I’ll have to steer clear of looking glasses and dogs, watch out for sorcerers and telepaths … and if in spite of that they unmask me, I’m counting on you.’
‘You can,’ Geralt responded gravely. ‘I won’t abandon you in need. Comrade.’
The vampire smiled, and because they were alone, showed his full set of fangs. ‘Comrade?’
‘It’s my anthropomorphism talking. On we go, let’s get out of these caverns, comrade. Because all we’ll find here is rheumatism.’
‘I must ride,’ she said at last. The woman smiled, jingling melodiously.
How does it happen, thought Ciri, what can it be ascribed to, that in all worlds, places and times, in all languages and dialects that one word always sounds comprehensible? And always similar?
'Yes. I must ride to my mamma. My mamma is waiting for me.’
‘Good, Ciri. But more calmly. Without euphoria. And close to me.’
‘I’ll always be close to you.’
‘Don’t cut from the shoulder if you can from the elbow. Take heed.’
‘I am.’
The flash of a blade. Screams, blood. Death.
‘Good, Ciri.’
‘I want to see the sky.’
‘I love you very much.’
‘I love you too.’
‘Take heed. It’s getting slippery.’
Geralt glanced at Ciri. And almost howled with fury, seeing streaks shining white as silver in her ashen hair. He controlled himself. It wasn’t the time for anger.
‘Be careful,’ he said softly. ‘Stay close to me.’
‘I’m always going to be close to you.’
‘It’ll be hot down there.’
‘I know. But we’re together.’
‘We’re together.’
The executioner went closer, kneeled down before the condemned man in keeping with the ancient custom, and lowered his hooded head. ‘Forgive me, good fellow,’ he requested gravely.
‘Me?’ asked Dandelion in astonishment. ‘Forgive you?’
‘Uh-huh.’
‘Not a chance.’
‘Eh?’
‘I’ll never forgive you. Why should I? Have you heard him, the prankster! He’s about to cut my head off, and I’m supposed to forgive him? Are you mocking me or what? At a time like this?’
‘How can you, sir?’ asked the executioner, saddened. ‘For there’s a law … And a custom … The condemned man must forgive the executioner in advance. Good sir! Expunge my guilt, absolve my sin …’
‘No.’
‘No?’
‘No!’
‘I won’t behead him,’ the executioner declared gloomily, getting up from his knees. ‘He must forgive me, otherwise there’s nothing doing.’
‘Lord Viscount.’ The funereal clerk caught Dandelion by the elbow. ‘Don’t make things difficult. People have gathered, they’re waiting … Forgive him. He’s asking politely, isn’t he?’
‘I won’t forgive him, and that’s that!’
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, and War
Minor: Cursing, Infertility, Torture, Xenophobia, Excrement, and Alcohol